Athletes And A Vegan Diet

 

Who has not ever heard that athletes need to eat meat to have energy to perform at their highest athletic level. They need meat to get their needed protein to build muscle and strive under high athletic pressure. Therefore, it is not good for an athlete to be vegan. Well, that's not true! Anyone who ever did some research on the topic and educated itself on the nutritional values of a vegan diet, knows that athletes can be vegan and might even strive under that diet. As stated by the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine

“a plant-based diet provides all the nutrients your body needs for training and competition.”

 A balanced vegan diet can provide you with all the carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and vitamins you will need as an athlete. A study published in 2019 in the nutrients journal, provides further evidence that a vegan diet even improves heart health, performance, and recovery. The research also indicates that following a plant-based diet can enhance athletic performance and promote faster recovery by improving blood flow and oxygenation in tissues, while also reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. To ensure that an endurance athlete obtains all the essential nutrients required, a diverse diet comprising fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes, supplemented with vitamin B12, is recommended, which can provide sufficient amounts of protein, calcium, and iron. 

Here is a list of well-known athletes that are following a vegan diet: 

• Timo Hildebrand (German soccer goalkeeper)

• Venus Williams (Tennis player)

• Novak Djokovic (Tennis player)

• Lewis Hamilton (Racing driver)

• Arnold Schwarzenegger (former bodybuilder)

• Lawrence Okolie (Boxer)

• Fiona Oakes (Runner)

• Andreas Kraniotakes (MMA fighter)

• Carl Lewis (former track and field runner and 9-time Olympic gold medal winner)

As you can see, there are athletes from all kinds of sports following a vegan diet and being one of the best athletes in the world. A plant-based diet does not limit anyone in their athletic capabilities and it might even improve athletic performance.